Ferroelectric random access memory

ABSTRACT

Four memory cells each obtained by connecting a ferroelectric capacitor in parallel to a transistor are connected in series with each other to constitute a cell block. A sense amplifier circuit is arranged on a one-end side in a column direction every four cell blocks sequentially adjacent to each other in a row direction. One ends of the four cell blocks are connected to four different plate lines, respectively, and the other ends of the four cell blocks are connected to four different bit lines through four block selection transistors, respectively. Of the four bit lines, two bit lines constitute a first bit line pair, and the two remaining bit lines constitute a second bit line pair. Any one of the first and second bit line pairs is connected to the sense amplifier circuit and the other bit line pair is connected at a constant voltage.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromprior Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-198968, filed Jul. 7, 2005,the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memorydevice and, in particularly to, a ferroelectric random access memory.The present invention is used in a mobile product such as a cellularmobile telephone, a wireless tag, an IC card, a game machine, and thelike.

2. Description of the Related Art

As a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) using a ferroelectriccapacitor, the present inventor proposes a scheme of a chain structurein Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication Nos. 10-255483, 11-177036, and2000-22010. In the ferroelectric random access memory, a cell transistorand a ferroelectric capacitor are connected in parallel to each other toconstitute one memory cell. In the ferroelectric random access memoryusing this scheme, a memory cell having a small size, a planartransistor which can be easily manufactured, a versatile high-speedrandom access function, and the like can be realized.

A ferroelectric random access memory having a folded bit lineconfiguration is known. In this ferroelectric random access memory,array noise caused by on from the word lines, the plate lines, thesubstrate, and the like can be reduced. However, noise caused by aparasitic capacity between bit lines in different bit line pairs cannotbe reduced.

As a scheme which can be applied to reduce noise caused by the parasiticcapacitor between bit lines in a ferroelectric random access memory, ascheme described in H. Hidaka et al., IEEE Journal of Solid-StateCircuit, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 21–27, February 1989 or H. Hirano et al.,IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuit, Vol. 32, No. 5, May. 1997 areknown. In H. Hidaka et al., noise is reduced by twisting bit lines inthe folded bit line configuration. In this scheme, however, since atwist region is secured, a chip size increases by about severalpercentages, and an effect of reducing a power consumption cannot beachieved.

In H. Hirano et al., only a selected column (bit line pair) in thememory cell array is activated. In this scheme, a power consumption ofthe memory cell array can be suppressed. Since cell data is not readfrom unselected bit line pairs located both the sides of the selectedbit line pair, the unselected bit line pairs can be used for a shieldingpurpose. As a result, noise caused by a parasitic capacity between bitlines can be reduced. However, as a first problem, some sense amplifiercircuits are activated, and the remaining sense amplifier circuits areinactivated. For this reason, decode circuits achieved by columnaddresses are required for all the sense amplifier circuits to increasethe number of elements. As a second problem, although a low powerconsumption can be realized, column addresses must be decoded, andtherefore, date except for limited data cannot be read or writtenoutside the chip, and a bandwidth is limited. As a third problem, memorycells of columns except for a selected column must be inactivated, aplate drive circuit and plate lines must be arranged on the same side asthat of a sense amplifier circuit to complicate the circuit. As a fourthproblem, since a plate line connected to a memory cell at a row addressexcept for a selected row address is inactivated, an unselected memorycell is disadvantageously disturbed.

The present inventor has proposed a method of reducing noise from aselected bit line pair and a sense amplifier circuit connected thereto,and a unselected bit line pair and a sense amplifier circuit connectedthereto in a configuration obtained by alternately arranging bit linepairs and sense amplifier circuits connected thereto (U.S. Patentapplication. No. 2004/0105293).

In the ferroelectric random access memory having a chain structure, itis assumed that word lines and plate lines are arranged in a directionperpendicular to bit lines, that data of only one bit line is read everyfour bit lines, and that data of the other bit lines are not read. Inthis case, in general idea, memory cells of four types are necessary. Inaddition, four plate lines and four word lines are arranged on onememory cell, and each one plate line and word line must be activatedevery four plate lines and four word lines to considerably increase acell size.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present-invention, there is provided aferroelectric random access memory comprising: a memory cell array inwhich a plurality of memory cell blocks each obtained byseries-connecting a plurality of memory cells each constituted by a celltransistor having source and drain terminals and a ferroelectriccapacitor connected in parallel between the source and drain terminalsof the cell transistor are arranged in the form of a matrix, a blockgroup being constituted by first to fourth memory cell blockssequentially adjacently arranged in a row direction; a plurality of wordlines arranged to extend in the row direction of the memory cell array;a plurality of bit lines arranged to extend in a column direction of thememory cell array and including first to fourth bit lines, the first bitline and the third bit line constituting a first bit line pair, and thesecond bit line and the fourth bit line constituting a second bit linepair; a plurality of plate lines arranged to extend in the row directionof the memory cell array and including first to fourth plate lines towhich one ends of the first to fourth memory cell blocks are connected,respectively; a plurality of sense amplifier circuits arranged on aone-end side of the memory cell array in the column direction everyblock group constituted by the first to fourth memory cell blocks; firstto fourth block selection transistors connected between the other endsof the first to fourth memory cell blocks and the first to fourth bitlines, respectively; a first block selection signal line arranged toextend in the row direction of the memory cell array and commonlyconnected to gate electrodes of the first and second block selectiontransistors; and a second block selection signal line arranged to extendin the row direction of the memory cell array and commonly connected togate electrodes of the third and fourth block selection transistors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a ferroelectric random access memoryaccording to a comparative example;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a memory cell array section of theferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a waveform chart showing a drive voltage of a plate line inthe ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 1 and an example of achange in voltage of a bit line pair;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a ferroelectric random access memoryaccording to a first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a waveform chart showing an operation of the circuit in FIG.4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the structure of a part of a memorycell array of the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the structure of another part of thememory cell array of the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a multi-layered layout chart of the ferroelectric randomaccess memory in FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a layout chart obtained by extracting some layer from thelayout chart in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a layout chart obtained by extracting some layer from thelayout chart in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a layout chart obtained by extracting some layer from thelayout chart in FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a layout chart obtained by extracting some layer from thelayout chart in FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram of a ferroelectric random access memoryaccording to a first modification of the first embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a waveform chart showing an operation of a ferroelectricrandom access memory according to a second modification of the firstembodiment;

FIG. 15 is a circuit diagram of a ferroelectric random access memoryaccording to a third modification of the first embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a circuit diagram of a ferroelectric random access memoryaccording to a second embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a waveform chart showing an operation of the circuit in FIG.16;

FIG. 18 is a sectional view showing the structure of a part of a memorycell array of the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view showing the structure of another part of thememory cell array of the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 16;

FIG. 20 is a multi-layered layout chart of the ferroelectric randomaccess memory in FIG. 16;

FIG. 21 is a layout chart obtained by extracting some layer from thelayout chart in FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a layout chart obtained by extracting some layer from thelayout chart in FIG. 20;

FIG. 23 is a layout chart obtained by extracting some layer from thelayout chart in FIG. 20; and

FIG. 24 is a layout chart obtained by extracting some layer from thelayout chart in FIG. 20.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A comparative example will be described below prior to an explanation ofembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a ferroelectric random access memoryaccording to a comparative example. One memory cell 11 is constituted bya transistor (to be referred to as a cell transistor hereinafter) and aferroelectric capacitor which are connected in parallel to each other. Aplurality of memory cells each obtained by the parallel connection, forexample, four memory cells are connected in series with each other toconstitute one memory cell block 100. Furthermore, a plurality of memorycell blocks 100 constitute a memory cell array. Gate electrodes of thecell transistors corresponding to the plurality of memory cell blocks100 are commonly connected to a word line, in the example, any one offour word lines WL0 to WL3. In each column of the memory cell array, oneend of the memory cell block 100 is connected to any one bit line of abit line pair /BL and BL through a block selection transistor 12, andthe other end of the memory cell block 100 is connected to a plate line,i.e., any one of plate lines PL0 and PL1 in FIG. 1. The block selectiontransistor 12 is switchably controlled by a block selection signal line,i.e., any one of block selection signal lines BS0 and BS1 in FIG. 1. Thebit line pair /BL and BL is connected to the sense amplifier circuit(SA) 14 through a pair of column selection transistors 13. The memorycell blocks 100 are arranged on both the sides of the sense amplifiercircuit 14. However, the memory cell block 100 arranged on one side isomitted in FIG. 1.

An operation of the circuit shown in FIG. 1 will be briefly describedbelow. In a Stand-by state, all the word lines WL0 to WL3 are driven toa High level to turn on the cell transistors, and the block selectionsignal lines BS0 and BS1 are driven to a Low level to turn off the blockselection transistors 12. In this manner, since both the ends of theferroelectric capacitor are electrically short-circuited by the ON celltransistors, a voltage difference is not generated between both theends, and memory polarization is stably held. In an activate state, onlycell transistors connected in parallel to a ferroelectric capacitor fromwhich data is desirably read is turned off, and a desired blockselection transistor is turned on.

For example, when a ferroelectric capacitor C1 in FIG. 1 is selected, aword line WL2 is driven to Low. Thereafter, the plate line PL0 is drivento High, and the block selection signal line BS0 is driven to High, sothat a voltage difference between the plate line PL0 and the bit line/BL is applied to only both the ends of the ferroelectric capacitor C1connected in parallel to an OFF selected cell transistor. Polarizationinformation of the ferroelectric capacitor C1 is read on the bit line/BL.

As shown in FIG. 1, the block selection signals of two types areintroduced to drive only one of the two block selection signal lines BS0and BS1 to High, and the cell data is read on one bit line of the bitline pair. At this time, the other bit line of the bit line pair is usedas reference bit lines. In this manner, a folded bit line configurationcan be obtained. In a folded bit line configuration, when the bit linepair is arranged in the same memory cell array, and when noise generatedin the other memory cell array is on both the bit lines and thereference bit lines, the noise can be canceled by the sense amplifiercircuit 14 which amplifies the voltage difference between the bit lines.With the folded bit line configuration, noise inherent in an open bitline configuration, for example, noise generated by the word linesarranged in a direction perpendicular to the bit lines, the plate lines,the substrate, and the like can be suppressed from acting as noise onthe bit lines.

According to the configuration as shown in FIG. 1, a minimum size of amemory cell can be realized in 4 F² (F is a wiring width and aninter-wiring space) by using planar transistors. Even though a pluralityof memory cells are connected in series with each other, an arbitraryword line is selected to make it possible to read cell data of anarbitrary ferroelectric capacitor, and perfect random access can berealized. Since a plate line can be shared by a plurality of memorycells, the area of a plate line drive circuit can be increased whilereducing a chip size, and a high-speed operation can be realized.Furthermore, the number of bit line contacts for connecting the bitlines and the memory cell blocks is changed from the number in cell unitto the number in block unit. In this manner, a bit line capacitance permemory cell can be reduced, an occupied area of sense amplifier circuitscan be reduced, and the bit line capacitance can be reduced. For thisreason, a large read signal can be obtained.

FIG. 2 shows a sectional structure obtained by cutting the memory cellarray in FIG. 1 along a direction perpendicular to the bit lines. FIG. 3shows a drive voltage of the plate line PL in a data read state in aso-called 2 T2 C operation for reading/writing data by using, e.g., twomemory cells and changes in voltage of the bit line pair /BL and BL. InFIG. 2, when parasitic capacitances of the bit lines /BL and BL and aparasitic capacitance between the bit lines are represented by Cb andCbb, respectively, interference noise between the bit lines increases asa value of Cbb/Cb increases. In this case, in a memory cell of a crosspoint type arranged at a cross point between the word line and the bitline, a distance between the bit lines increases. For this reason, noiseis reduced by the increase in distance. However, when the distancebetween the bit lines is shortened by scaling, the noise becomesserious. In particular, in the ferroelectric random access memory, asshown in the waveform shown in FIG. 3, when the plate line PL is drivento read memory cell data, bit line voltages in not only an operation forreading “1” data but also an operation for reading “0” data increase,all the bit lines have offsets by the influence of Cbb. For example,when “0” data and “1” data are read on the bit line /BL and BL,respectively, an influence of noise becomes worst in the case where theleft and right bit lines /BL and BL read the “1” data and “0” data,respectively. The bit line pair /BL and BL have opposite data, and thus,when original read signals are given by ±Vsig, noise received by the bitline /BL is given by 2 Cbb/CBVsig, and noise received by the bit line BLis given by 2 Cbb/CbVsig. In the 2 T2 C operation, a sum of noise isgiven by 4 Cbb/CbVsig, an original signal is given by 2 Vsig, and an N/Sratio is 2 Cbb/Cb. In a so-called 1 T1 C operation which reads/writesdata by using one memory cell, a reference bit line is set every two bitlines, a sum of noise is given by 2 Cbb/CbVsig, an original signal isgiven by 1 Vsig, and an N/S ratio is 2 Cbb/Cb.

Embodiments of the present invention will be explained below withreference to the accompanying drawings. In the explanation of thefollowing embodiments, the same reference numerals as in all thedrawings denote the same parts in the drawings, and an overlappingdescription is omitted.

First Embodiment

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a ferroelectric random access memoryaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 4, each memory cellhas the same configuration as that in the ferroelectric random accessmemory according to the comparative example shown in FIG. 1. However,the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 4 is different from thatof the comparative example in that one memory cell block is constitutedby eight memory cells 11 and in the following points.

(a) One block group is constituted by four memory cell blocks consistingof a first memory block 101, a second memory cell block 102, a thirdmemory cell block 103, and a fourth memory cell block 104 which aresequentially adjacently arranged in a row direction of a memory cellarray 10.

(b) One ends of the first to fourth memory cell blocks 101 to 104 areconnected to the first to fourth plate lines /PL0, /PL1, P10, and PL1,respectively. These first to fourth plate lines /PL0, /PL1, PL0, and PL1are driven by a plate line drive circuit 20.

(c) The other ends of the first to fourth memory cell blocks 101 to 104are connected to first to fourth bit lines /BL0, /BL1, BL0, and BL1through first to fourth block selection transistors 121 to 124,respectively. A sense amplifier circuit (Sense Amp) 14 is arranged on anone-end side of the memory cell array 10 in the column direction everyblock group constituted by the first to fourth memory cell blocks 101 to104. First to fourth block selection transistors 121 to 124 areprovided. The gate electrodes of the first block selection transistor121 and the second block selection transistor 122 are commonly connectedto the first block selection signal line /BS. The gate electrodes of thethird block selection transistor 123 and the fourth block selectiontransistor 124 are commonly connected to the second block selectionsignal line BS different from the first block selection signal line. Thefirst and second block selection signal lines /BS and BS are driven by ablock selection signal drive circuit 21.

(d) The first bit line /BL0 and the third bit line BL0 constitute afirst bit line pair, and the second bit line /BL1 and the fourth bitline BL1 constitute a second bit line pair. Between the memory cellarray 10 and the sense amplifier circuit 14, in a sense operation,circuits 15 and 16 to connect any one of the first bit line pair and thesecond bit line pair to the sense amplifier circuit 14 and keep thevoltage of the other at a constant voltage are formed. The circuits willbe described later.

Although the memory cell blocks are arranged on both the sides of thesense amplifier circuit 14, the memory cell block on one side is omittedin FIG. 4.

The configuration of the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 4will be described in detail. One memory cell 11 is constituted by a celltransistor and a ferroelectric capacitor connected in parallel betweenthe source and drain terminals of the cell transistor. One memory cellblock is constituted by a plurality of memory cells, in this embodiment,eight memory cells which are connected in series with each other. Suchmemory cell blocks are arranged in the form of a matrix to constitutethe memory cell array 10. In this case, one block group is formed byfour memory cell blocks, i.e., the first to fourth memory cell blocks101 to 104 sequentially adjacently arranged in the row direction.

A plurality of word lines are arranged to extend in the row direction ofthe memory cell array. The plurality of word lines include the sevenword lines WL0 to WL7 and WL0′ to WL7′, respectively. The plurality ofword lines are driven by a word line drive circuit 22.

A plurality of bit lines including first to fourth bit lines /BL0, /BL1,BL0, and BL1 which are sequentially adjacently arranged in the rowdirection are arranged to extend in a column direction. First to fourthplate lines /PL0, /PL1, PL0, and PL1 are arranged to extend in the rowdirection of the memory cell array. One ends of the first to fourthmemory cell blocks 101 to 104 are connected to the first to fourth platelines /PL0, /PL1, PL0, and PL1, respectively.

The first to fourth block selection transistors 121 to 124 are connectedbetween the other ends of the first to fourth memory cell blocks 101 to104 and the first to fourth bit lines /BL0, /BL1, BL0, and BL1,respectively. First and second block selection signal lines are arrangedto extend in the row direction of the memory cell array. The first blockselection signal line /BS is commonly connected to the gate electrodesof the first and second block selection transistors 121 and 122, and thesecond block selection signal line BS is commonly connected to the gateelectrodes of the third and fourth block selection transistors 123 and124.

The sense amplifier connection switch circuit 15 constituted by first tofourth sense amplifier connection switch transistors 31 to 34 isinserted between the first to fourth bit lines /BL0, /BL1, BL0, and BL1and the sense amplifier circuit 14. First and second sense amplifierconnection switch control lines Trs0 and Trs1 are arranged to extend inthe row direction of the memory cell array. The first sense amplifierconnection switch control line Trs0 is commonly connected to the gateelectrodes of the first and third sense amplifier connection switchtransistors 31 and 33, and the second sense amplifier connection switchcontrol line Trs1 is commonly connected to the gate electrodes of thesecond and fourth sense amplifier connection switch transistors 32 and34. The first and second sense amplifier connection switch control linesTrs0 and Trs1 are driven by a switch control line drive circuit 23.

The bit line voltage equalizing circuit 16 constituted by first tofourth bit line voltage equalizing switch transistors 41 to 44 isinserted between the first to fourth bit lines /BL0, /BL1, BL0, and BL1and a bit line voltage supply line VBL. First and second equalizationcontrol lines Eq10 and Eq11 are arranged to extend in the row directionof the memory cell array. The first equalization control line Eq10 iscommonly connected to the gate electrode of the first and third bit linevoltage equalizing switch transistors 41 and 43, and the secondequalization control line Eq11 is commonly connected to the gateelectrodes of the second and fourth bit line voltage equalizing switchtransistors 42 and 44. The first and second equalization control linesEq10 and Eq11 are driven by an equalization control line drive circuit24, and the bit line voltage supply line VBL is driven by a bit linedrive circuit 25.

The sense amplifier connection switch circuit 15 and the bit linevoltage equalizing circuit 16 select any one of the two bit lines /BL0and /BL1 in a sense operation to connect the selected bit line to onebit line /BLSA of the sense amplifier circuit 14 and to connect theother unselected bit line to the bit line voltage supply line VBL. Thesense amplifier connection switch circuit 15 and the bit line voltageequalizing circuit 16 select any one of the two bit lines BL0 and BL1 toconnect the selected bit line to the other bit line BLSA of the senseamplifier circuit 14 and to connect the other unselected bit line to thebit line voltage supply line VBL set at a constant voltage. In otherwords, in the sense operation, any one of the first bit line pair andthe second bit line pair is selected to be connected to the senseamplifier circuit 14, and the other unselected bit line pair can be keptat the constant voltage VBL.

An operation of the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 4 will bedescribed below with reference to FIG. 5. This example shows a case inwhich memory data in the ferroelectric capacitor C1 selected inselection of the word line WL1 in the second memory cell block 102 inFIG. 4 is read/written.

In this operation, of the two bit line equalization signal lines Eq10and Eq11, only the bit line equalization signal line Eq11 is driven toLow, one bit line pair /BL1 and BL1 is set in a floating state, and theother bit line pair /BL0 and BL0 is fixed to Vss (=VBL).

Almost simultaneously with the above operation, of the sense amplifierconnection switch control lines Trs0 and Trs1, the sense amplifierconnection switch control line Trs1 is driven to High, and thetransistors 32 and 34 are turned on, so that the bit lines /BL1 and BL1are connected to the sense amplifier circuit 14. On the other hand, thebit lines /BL1 and BL1 are disconnected from the sense amplifier circuit14 by turning off the transistors 31 and 33. The transistors 41 and 43are turned on to fix the bit lines /BL1 and BL1 to a voltage Vss. Inthis manner, the bit lines /BL1 and BL1 are connected to the senseamplifier circuit 14 as a bit line pair operated in a folded bit lineconfiguration, and the bit lines /BL0 and BL0 are inserted betweenoperating bit lines and function as shield bit lines which shieldinterference between the operating bit-lines.

Almost simultaneously with this operation, in order to turn off a celltransistor connected in parallel to the ferroelectric capacitor C1 inthe second memory cell block 102, the word line WL1 is driven to Low.Furthermore, the block selection signal line /BS is driven to High toselect the second memory cell block 102, and cell data is not read fromthe fourth memory cell block 104. More specifically, the block selectionsignal line BS is driven to Low not to select the fourth memory cellblock 104.

Of the four plate lines, only the plate line /PL1 connected to theselected second memory cell block 102 is raised from Vss to a High level(Vaa). In this manner, a voltage difference between the plate line /PL1and the bit line /BL1 is applied to the selected ferroelectric capacitorC1, and cell data is read on the bit line /BL and transferred to the bitline /BLSA of the sense amplifier circuit 14. At this time, since theblock selection signal line BS is at Low, the block selection transistor124 of the fourth memory cell block 104 is in an OFF state. Therefore,cell data is not read from the fourth memory cell block 104 onto the bitline BL1 serving as a reference bit line, and a folded bit lineconfiguration can be realized by the bit lines /BL1 and BL1.

When a voltage having an intermediate value between “1” data and “0”data of the read bit line /BL1 is generated by a dummy cell circuitbuilt in the sense amplifier circuit or the like, the 1 T1 C operationcan be realized. At this time, in the fourth memory cell block 104, thecell transistors connected to the word line WL1 are turned off. However,the plate line /PL1 is kept at Vss, and the block selection signal lineBS is at Low. For this reason, data breakdown does not occur. Inaddition, in the first memory cell block 101 connected to the shield bitline /BL0, the cell transistors connected to the word line WL1 areturned off. Since the plate line /PL0 is at Vss, and the block selectionsignal line /BS is at High, the first memory cell block 101 and the bitline /BL0 are connected to each other. However, the bit line /BL0 isfixed to the voltage Vss, and no voltage is applied to any memory, sothat the memory block 101 is not adversely affected. In the third memorycell block 103 connected to the shield bit line BL0, the celltransistors connected to the word line WL1 are turned off. However, theplate line PL0 is at Vss, and the block selection signal line BS is atLow. For this reason, no voltage is applied to any memory cells, and thememory cell block is not adversely affected.

Thereafter, a voltage difference between the bit lines /BL1 and BL1(between /BLSA and BLSA) is amplified by the sense amplifier circuit 14and read out of the chip. At this time, the data outside the chip iswritten in the bit line pair /BL1 and BL1 (/BLSA and BLSA). When theplate line /PL1 is at High, the “0” data is written back in the memorycell if the voltage of the bit line /BL1 is at Low. Thereafter, when theplate line /PL1 goes to Low, the “1” data is written back in the memorycell if the voltage of the bit line /BL1 is at High. Thereafter, theblock selection signal line /BS returns to Low, the word line WL1returns to High, the bit line equalization control line Eq11 returns toHigh, and the sense amplifier connection switch control line Trs0returns to High. At this time, a series of write operations areterminated.

As described above, memory cell data is read on any one of the bit lines/BL and BL1, and the other bit line is used as a reference bit line, sothat a read operation according to the folded bit line scheme can berealized. In this manner, noise caused by array noise on from the wordlines, the plate lines, the substrate, and the like in the memory cellarray is reduced, the remaining bit lines /BL0 and BL0 are fixed to aconstant voltage to function as shield bit lines, so that array noisecaused by a parasitic capacity between the bit lines can be reduced. Incontrast to the above description, when the bit lines /BL0 and BL0 aresubjected to a read operation according to the folded bit line scheme,the remaining bit lines /BL1 and BL1 can be caused to function as shieldbit lines.

With the above configuration, only one sense amplifier circuit 14 isrequired every four bit lines, the number of sense amplifier circuits 14can be ½ the number of sense amplifier circuits used when one senseamplifier is arranged every two bit lines. Of the four bit lines, twobit lines function as shield bit lines. For this reason, a powerconsumption of the cell array in an operation can be reduced to ½ apower consumption of a cell array which does not use a shield bit line.In addition, various signal lines arranged in a direction perpendicularto the bit lines can be freely changed in position in units of memorycell blocks. For this reason, four plate lines are arranged on a memorycell to make it possible to prevent the size of the memory cell blockfrom being increased.

More specifically, according to the configuration in FIG. 4, incomparison with a configuration in which one sense amplifier circuit isformed every two bit lines, both inter-bit-line noise and other arraynoise can be reduced without increasing the memory cell block size.Furthermore, the occupied area of sense amplifier circuits can bereduced by half, and the power consumption of the memory cell array inan operation can be reduced by half.

In this embodiment, in order to read cell data on one of four bit lines,four plate lines and two block selection signal lines are used. Thereason why the memory cell array can be realized by the two blockselection signal lines is that one block selection signal line is usedto read cell data from at least one bit line and the other blockselection signal line is used to separate a reference bit line whichamplitude-operates from the memory cell block. The characteristic pointof the embodiment is as follows. When the shield voltage of the othershield bit lines is set to be equal to the plate line voltage, the blockselection transistor can be in any one of an ON state and an OFF state.For this reason, an excessive block selection signal is not necessary.Although the four plate lines are necessary in the embodiment, the platelines can be arranged without increasing a cell block size (as will bedescribed later with reference to FIGS. 6 to 12).

In this embodiment, the “1” and “0” data can also be written in twoferroelectric capacitors to make it possible to perform a 2 T2 Coperation. In this case, in the operation, both the block selectionsignal lines /BS and BS are driven to High, both the plate lines /PL0and PL0 are selected, or both the plate line /PL1 and bit line BL1 areselected, reverse data is read on the reference bit line. For thisreason, a dummy cell circuit is not necessary.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show different sectional structures of the memory cellarray of the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 4. FIGS. 8 to 12show layout charts of the memory cell blocks of the ferroelectric randomaccess memory in FIG. 4. FIG. 8 shows all main layers of a layout forrealizing the memory cell block, and FIGS. 9 to 12 separately show themain layers in FIG. 8 to distinguish the main layers from each other. Asection along a VI—VI line in FIG. 12 is shown in FIG. 6, and a sectionalong a VII—VII line in FIG. 12 is shown in FIG. 7.

In FIGS. 6 to 12, reference symbol AA denotes a diffusion layer; GCdenotes a gate electrode wire of a transistor; Dep-Imp denotes anion-implantation (Depletion Implantation) region for making thethreshold voltage of an NMOS transistor negative; BE denotes a lowerelectrode of the ferroelectric capacitor; FE denotes a ferroelectricfilm of the ferroelectric capacitor; and TE denotes an upper electrodeof the ferroelectric capacitor. Reference symbols M1, M2, and M3 denotefirst, second, and third metal wires; CP denotes a cell plug which is acontact for connecting the diffusion layer AA and the lower electrodeBE; V1 denotes a contact for connecting the diffusion layer AA and thefirst metal wire M1; V2 denotes a contact for connecting the first metalwire M1 and the second metal wire M2; and V3 denotes a contact forconnecting the second metal wires M2 and the third metal wire M3.Reference symbol MBS denotes a Main Block Selector signal line forselecting a memory cell block when a hierarchical array configuration ofSub Row Decoder/Main Row Decoder is employed. The names of other signallines are the same as those in FIG. 4.

When the wires and block selection signal lines /BS and BS in the memorycell block are constituted by wires GC, the wiring resistance increases.For this reason, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, wires for the same signal inthe memory cell block are formed by using the first metal wire M1, and ashunt scheme in which the metal wire M1 is brought into contact with thewire GC is employed every bit lines (for example, 32 bit lines, 64 bitlines, 128 bit lines, 256 bit lines, 1024 bit lines, and the like). Thecontact region is not shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The second metal wire M2is used as a connection wire for realizing wires for the bit lines andthe plate lines of four types without increasing the memory cell blocksize of the embodiment. The third metal wire M3 is used as a shunt wirefor decreasing the resistances an MBS signal for employing ahierarchical configuration and signals WL0 to WL7 of a wire GC of a SubRow Decoder and wires for the plate lines (/PL0, /PL1, PL0, and PL1). Asshown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a part of the wiring layer M3 can be used as apower supply line Vss or other power supply wires. In this manner, powersupplies can be arranged in units of memory cell blocks to make itpossible to strengthen the power supplies.

As shown in FIG. 4, the four plate lines can be shared by the left andright memory cell blocks. For this reason, two plate lines are necessaryfor each memory cell block. In the examples in FIGS. 6 to 12, the platelines PL1 and /PL1 formed by the third metal wire M3 are temporarilyconnected to the second metal wire M2 through the contact V3, and thesecond metal wire M2 is connected to the first metal wire M1 through thecontact V2. In this manner, as shown in FIG. 7, any one of the platelines /PL1 and PL1 can be connected to the first metal wire M1. Theconnection using the second metal wire M2 can be realized by arrangingthe second metal wire M2 for connecting plate lines between the bitlines as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. On the section in FIG. 7, the wire ofthe bit line /BL1 is discontinuously shown at a position where the plateline /PL1 is present. However, in fact, the wire of the bit line /BL1 isdeviously connected to the plate line /PL1 in the depth direction of thedrawing.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 12, even though the two plate lines are arrangedper memory cell block, memory cells can be arranged from a memory cellblock end. For this reason, it is understood that the memory cell blocksize does not increase. With this configuration, as described above,both inter-bit-line noise and other array noise can be reduced withoutincreasing the memory cell block size, an occupied area of senseamplifier circuits can be reduced by about half, and a power consumptionof the memory cell array in an operation can be reduced by about half.

First Modification of First Embodiment

FIG. 13 is an equivalent circuit diagram according to a firstmodification of the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 4. Theferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 13 has almost the sameconfiguration as that in the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG.4 except that a bit line voltage equalizing circuit 16 used to shieldbit lines, control lines Eq10, Eq11, and VBL are arranged on theother-end side of the memory cell array 10, i.e., on a side opposing asense amplifier circuit 14. More specifically, a sense amplifierconnection switch circuit 15 is connected on one ends of the bit linesof the memory cell array 10, and the bit line voltage equalizing circuit16 is connected to the other ends of the bit lines.

According to the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 13, the sameeffect as that in the circuit in FIG. 4 can be obtained, complex wiringis advantageously unnecessary between the memory cell array 10 and thesense amplifier circuit 14.

Second Modification of First Embodiment

FIG. 14 is a waveform chart according to a second modification of theferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 4. This modification shows acase in which memory cell data of the ferroelectric capacitor C1selected in selection of the word line WL1 of the second memory cellblock 102 connected to the bit line /BL1 in FIG. 4 is read or written.The operation shown in FIG. 14 is almost the same as the operation shownin FIG. 5 except that a plate line voltage in a stand-by state is set tobe a voltage VBL higher than the voltage Vss, and a bit line voltagewhen a bit line is shielded is set to be the voltage VBL higher than thevoltage Vss. In this manner, in the stand-by state, a difference voltagebetween an inter-gate-source voltage and an inter-gate-drain voltageapplied to the cell transistors by the word lines WL0 to WL7 set at avoltage Vpp can be reduced to Vpp−VBL to make it possible to improve thereliability of TDDB or the like. When the bit line /BLSA and the bitline BLSA are temporality precharged again before the block selectionsignal line /BS is activated, a voltage difference Vaa−Vss is applied tothe selected memory cell, and memory cell data can be read or writtenfor the bit line pair /BL1 and BL1. Upon completion of the read/writeoperation, when all the bit lines and all the plate lines are returnedto the voltage VBL, the operation is terminated.

According to the operation shown in FIG. 14, the same effect as that inthe operation shown in FIG. 5 can be obtained, both inter-bit-line noiseand other array noise can be reduced without increasing a memory cellblock size, the occupied area of sense amplifier circuits can be reducedby about half, and a power consumption of the memory cell array in anoperation can be reduced by half.

Third Modification of First Embodiment

FIG. 15 is a circuit diagram according to a third modification of theferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 4. The ferroelectric randomaccess memory in FIG. 15 almost has the same configuration as that inthe ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 4 except that two bitlines constituting a bit line pair are adjacently arranged. Morespecifically, four bit lines /BL0, BL0, /BL1, and BL1 are sequentiallyarranged. In other words, the bit line pair /BL0 and BL0 and the bitline pair /BL1 and BL1 are adjacently arranged.

According to the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 15, almostthe same effect as that in the ferroelectric random access memory inFIG. 4 can be obtained. With respect to noise caused by a parasiticcapacity between bit lines, inter-bit-line-pair noise is reduced byshielding, but the noise remains because the two bit lines are adjacentto each other in the bit line pair. However, in comparison with a casein which a measure for reducing the inter-bit-line-pair noise is notperformed, the noise is reduced by half.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 16 is a circuit diagram of a ferroelectric random access memoryaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention. Theconfiguration of the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 16 ispartially the same as that in the first embodiment except for thefollowing points.

(a) Eight memory cell blocks consisting of first to eighth memory cellblocks 101 to 108 sequentially adjacently arranged in a row direction ofa memory cell array 10 constitute one block group.

(b) One ends of the first to eighth memory cell blocks 101 to 108 areconnected to first to eighth plate lines /PL0, /PL1, /PL2, /PL3, PL0,PL1, PL2, and PL3, respectively. The first to eighth plate lines /PL0,/PL1, /PL2, /PL3, PL0, PL1, PL2, and PL3 are driven by a plate linedrive circuit 20.

(c) The other ends of the first to eighth memory cell blocks 101 to 108are connected to the eight bit lines /BL0, /BL1, /BL2, /BL3, BL0, BL1,BL2, and BL3 through first to eighth block selection transistors 121 to128, respectively. A sense amplifier circuit 14 is arranged on anone-end side of the memory cell array 10 in the column direction everyblock group constituted by the first to eighth memory cell blocks 101 to108. First to eighth block selection transistors 121 to 128 areprovided. The gate electrodes of the first to fourth block selectiontransistors 121 to 124 are commonly connected to the first blockselection signal line /BS. The gate electrodes of the fifth to eighthblock selection transistors 125 to 128 are commonly connected to thesecond block selection signal line BS different from the first blockselection signal line. The first and second block selection signal lines/BS and BS are driven by a block selection signal drive circuit 21.

(d) The first bit line /BL0 and the fifth bit line BL0 constitute afirst bit line pair, and the second bit line /BL1 and the sixth bit lineBL1 constitute a second bit line pair, the third bit line /BL2 and theseventh bit line BL2 constitute a third bit line pair, and the fourthbit line /BL3 and the eighth bit line BL3 constitute a fourth bit linepair.

(e) Sense amplifier connection switch circuits 15 constituted by firstto eighth sense amplifier connection switch transistors 31 to 38 isinserted between the first to eighth bit lines and the sense amplifiercircuit 14. First to fourth sense amplifier connection switch controllines Trs0 to Trs3 are arranged to extend in the row direction of thememory cell array. The first sense amplifier connection switch controlline Trs0 is commonly connected to the gate electrodes of the first andfifth sense amplifier connection switch transistors 31 and 35, thesecond sense amplifier connection switch control line Trs1 is commonlyconnected to the gate electrodes of the second and sixth sense amplifierconnection switch transistors 32 and 36, the third sense amplifierconnection switch control line Trs2 is commonly connected to the gateelectrodes of the third and sixth sense amplifier connection switchtransistors 33 and 37, and the fourth sense amplifier connection switchcontrol line Trs3 is commonly connected to the gate electrodes of thefourth and eighth sense amplifier connection switch transistors 34 and38. The first to fourth sense amplifier connection switch control linesTrs0 to Trs3 are driven by a switch control line drive circuit 23.

(f) A bit line voltage equalizing circuit 16 constituted by first toeighth bit line voltage equalizing switch transistors 41 to 48 isinserted between the first to eighth bit lines and a bit line voltagesupply line VBL. First to fourth equalization control lines Eq10 to Eq13are arranged to extend in the row direction of the memory cell array.The first equalization control line Eq10 is commonly connected to thegate electrodes of the first and fifth bit line voltage equalizingswitch transistors 41 and 45, the second equalization control line Eq11is commonly connected to the gate electrode of the second and sixth bitline voltage equalizing switch transistors 42 and 46, the thirdequalization control line Eq12 is commonly connected to the gateelectrodes of the third and seventh bit line voltage equalizing switchtransistors 43 and 47, and the fourth equalization control line Eq13 iscommonly connected to the gate electrode of the fourth and eighth bitline voltage equalizing switch transistors 44 and 48. The first tofourth equalization control lines Eq10 to Eq13 are driven by anequalization control line drive circuit 24, and the bit line voltagesupply line VBL is driven by a bit line drive circuit 25.

The sense amplifier connection switch circuit 15 and the bit linevoltage equalizing circuit 16 select any one of the four bit lines /BL0,/BL1, /BL2, and /BL3 in a sense operation to connect the selected bitline to one bit line /BLSA of the sense amplifier circuit 14 and toconnect the unselected remaining bit lines to the constant voltage VBL.The sense amplifier connection switch circuit 15 and the bit linevoltage equalizing circuit 16 select any one of the four bit lines /BL0,/BL1, /BL2, and /BL3 to connect the selected bit line to the other bitline BLSA of the sense amplifier circuit 14 and to connect theunselected remaining bit lines to the constant voltage VBL. In otherwords, in the sense operation, any one of the first, second, third, andfourth bit line pairs is selected, the selected bit line pair isconnected to the sense amplifier circuit 14, and the three unselectedremaining bit line pairs can be kept at the constant voltage VBL.

Although the memory cell blocks are arranged on both the sides of thesense amplifier circuit 14, the memory cell block on one side is omittedin FIG. 16.

An operation of the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 16 willbe described below with reference to FIG. 17. This example shows a casein which memory data in the ferroelectric capacitor C1 selected inselection of the word line WL1 in the second memory cell block 102 inFIG. 16 is read/written.

In this operation, of the bit line equalization signal lines Eq10 toEq13, only the bit line equalization signal line Eq11 is driven to Low,one bit line pair /BL1 and BL1 is set in a floating state, and theremaining bit line pairs /BL0, BL0, /BL2, BL2, and /BL3, BL3 are fixedto Vss (=VBL).

Almost simultaneously with the above operation, of the sense amplifierconnection switch control lines Trs0 to Trs3, the sense amplifierconnection switch control lines Trs0, Trs2, and Trs3 are driven to Low.With respect to the bit lines /BL1 and BL1, the memory cell array 10 andthe sense amplifier circuit 14 are connected to each other, and the bitlines /BL0, BL0, /BL2, BL2, and /BL3, BL3 are disconnected from thesense amplifier circuit 14 and fixed to the voltage Vss. In this manner,the bit lines /BL1 and BL1 are connected to the sense amplifier circuit14 as a bit line pair operated in a folded bit line configuration, andthe bit lines /BL0, BL0, /BL2, BL2, /BL3, and BL3 are inserted betweenoperating bit lines and function as shield bit lines which shieldinterference between the operating bit lines.

Almost simultaneously with this operation, in order to select and turnoff a cell transistor connected in parallel to the ferroelectriccapacitor C1 in the second memory cell block 102, the word line WL1 isdriven to Low, the block selection signal line /BS is driven to High soas to select the second memory cell block 102, and cell data is not readfrom the sixth memory cell block 106. More specifically, the blockselection signal line BS is kept at Low not to select the sixth memorycell block 106.

Of the eight plate lines, only the plate line /PL1 connected to theselected second memory cell block 102 is raised from Vss to a Highlevel. In this manner, a voltage difference between the plate line /PL1and the bit line /BL1 is applied to the selected ferroelectric capacitorC1, and cell data is read on the bit line /BL1 and transferred to thebit line /BLSA of the sense amplifier circuit 14. At this time, sincethe second block selection signal line BS is at Low, the block selectiontransistor 126 connected to the sixth memory cell block 106 is in an OFFstate. Therefore, cell data is not read from the sixth memory cell block106 onto the bit line BL1 serving as a reference bit line, and a foldedbit line configuration can be realized by the bit line pair /BL1 andBL1.

When a voltage having an intermediate value between “1” data and “0”data of the read bit line /BL1 is generated on the bit line BL1 by adummy cell circuit built in the sense amplifier circuit or the like, a 1T1 C operation can be realized. At this time, in the sixth memory cellblock 106, the cell transistors connected to the word line WL1 areturned off. However, the plate line /PL1 is kept at Vss, and the blockselection signal line BS is at Low. For this reason, data breakdown doesnot occur.

In the first, third, and fourth memory cell blocks 101, 103, and 104connected to the shield bit lines /BL0, /BL2, and /BL3, the celltransistors connected to the word line WL1 are turned off. The platelines /PL0, /PL2, and /PL3 are at Vss, and the block selection signalline /BS is at High. For this reason, the first, third, and fourthmemory cell blocks and the bit lines /BL0, /BL2, and /BL3 are connectedto each other, respectively. However, the bit lines /BL0, /BL2, and /BL3are fixed to the voltage Vss, and no voltage is applied to all thememory cells, so that the memory cell blocks are not adversely affected.

In the fifth, seventh, and eighth memory cell blocks 105, 107, and 108connected to the shield bit lines BL0, BL2, and BL3, respectively, thecell transistors connected to the word line WL1 are turned off. However,the plate line PL0 is at Vss, and the block selection signal line BS isat Low. For this reason, no voltage is applied to all the memory cells,and the memory cell blocks are not adversely affected.

Thereafter, a voltage difference between the bit lines /BL1 and BL1(between /BLSA and BLSA) is amplified by the sense amplifier circuit 14and read out of the chip. At this time, the data outside the chip iswritten in the bit line pair /BL1 and BL1 (/BLSA and BLSA). When theplate line /PL1 is at High, the “0” data is written back in the memorycell if the voltage of the bit line /BL1 is at Low. Thereafter, when theplate line /PL1 goes to Low, the “1” data is written back in the memorycell if the voltage of the bit line /BL1 is at High. Subsequently, theblock selection signal line /BS returns to Low, the word line WL1returns to High, the equalization control line Eq11 returns to High, andthe sense amplifier connection switch control lines Trs0, Trs2, and Trs3return to High. At this time, a series of write operations areterminated.

As described above, memory cell data is read on any one of the bit lines/BL and BL1, and the other bit line is used as a reference bit line, sothat a read operation of the folded bit lines can be performed. In thismanner, array noise caused by noise from the word lines (WL0 to WL7),the plate lines, the substrate, and the like in the memory cell array isreduced. The six remaining bit lines are fixed to a fixed voltage tofunction as shield bit lines, so that array noise caused by a parasiticcapacity between the bit lines can be reduced. As in the abovedescription, when a read operation is performed by using the bit lines/BL0 and BL0 as the folded bit lines, when a read operation is performedby using the bit lines /BL2 and BL2 as folded bit lines, or when anoperation is performed by using the bit lines /BL3 and BL3 as folded bitlines, the six remaining bit lines can be used as shield bit lines.

With the above configuration, only one sense amplifier circuit isrequired every eight bit lines. Therefore, the number of sense amplifiercircuits can be ¼ the number of sense amplifiers used when the senseamplifier is arranged every two bit lines. Of the eight bit lines, sixbit lines function as shield bit lines. For this reason, a powerconsumption of the cell array in an operation can be reduced by ¼. Inaddition, various signal lines arranged in a direction perpendicular tothe bit lines can be freely changed in position in units of memory cellblocks. For this reason, eight plate lines are arranged on-a memorycell, so that the memory cell block can be prevented from increasing insize.

In this embodiment, in order to read cell data on one of eight bitlines, eight plate lines and two block selection signal lines are used.The reason why the memory cell array can be realized by the blockselection signal lines of two types is that one block selection signalline is used to read cell data from at least one bit line and the otherblock selection signal line is used to separate a reference bit linewhich amplitude-operates from the memory cell block. The characteristicpoint of the embodiment is as follows. That is, when the other shieldbit lines are set at a voltage equal to the plate line voltage, theblock selection transistor may be turned on or off. For this reason, anexcessive block selection signal is not necessary. Although the fourplate lines are necessary in the embodiment, the plate lines can bearranged without increasing a cell block size (as will be describedlater with reference to FIGS. 18 to 24). When eight block selectionsignals are used, the memory cell block size increases.

In this embodiment, the “1” and “0” data are also written in twoferroelectric capacitors to make it possible to perform a 2 T2 Coperation. In this case, in the operation, both the block selectionsignal lines /BS and BS are set at High, and the plate lines /PL0 andPL0, the plate line /PL1 and the bit line BL1, the plate lines /PL2 andPL2, or the plate lines /PL3 and PL3 are selected, reverse data is readon the reference bit line. For this reason, a dummy cell circuit is notnecessary.

FIGS. 18 and 19 show different sectional structures of the memory cellarray of the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 16. FIGS. 20 to24 show layout charts of the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG.16. FIG. 20 shows all main layers of a layout for realizing the memorycell block, and FIGS. 21 to 24 separately show the main layers in FIG.19 to easily distinguish the main layers from each other. A sectionalong an XVIII—XVIII line in FIG. 24 corresponds to FIG. 18, and asection along an XIX—XIX line in FIG. 24 corresponds to FIG. 19.

In FIGS. 18 to 24, reference symbol AA denotes a diffusion layer; GCdenotes a gate electrode wire of a transistor; Dep−Imp denotes anion-implantation (Depletion Implantation) region for making thethreshold voltage of an NMOS transistor negative; BE denotes a lowerelectrode of the ferroelectric capacitor; FE denotes a ferroelectricfilm of the ferroelectric capacitor; and TE denotes an upper electrodeof the ferroelectric capacitor. Reference symbols M1, M2, and M3 denotefirst, second, and third metal wires; CP denotes a cell plug which is acontact for connecting the diffusion layer AA and the lower electrodeBE; V1 denotes a contact for connecting the diffusion layer AA and thefirst metal wire M1; V2 denotes a contact for connecting the first metalwire M1 and the second metal wire M2; and V3 denotes a contact forconnecting the second metal wire M2 and the third metal wire M3.Reference symbol MBS denotes a Main Block Selector signal line forselecting a memory cell block when a hierarchical array configuration ofSub Row Decoder/Main Row Decoder is employed. The names of other signallines are the same as those in FIG. 16.

When the wires in the memory cell block and the block selection signallines /BS and BS are constituted by the wires GC, the wiring resistanceincreases. For this reason, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, wires for thesame signal in the memory cell block are formed by using the first metalwire M1, and a shunt scheme in which the metal wire M1 is brought intocontact with the wire GC is employed every bit lines (for example, 32bit lines, 64 bit lines, 128 bit lines, 256 bit lines, 1024 bit lines,and the like). The contact region is not shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. Thesecond metal wire M2 is used as a connection wire for realizing wiresfor the bit lines and the plate lines of four types without increasingthe memory cell block size of the embodiment. The third metal wire M3 isused as a shunt wire for decreasing the resistances an MBS signal foremploying a hierarchical configuration and signals WL0 to WL7 of a wireGC of a Sub Row Decoder and wires for the plate lines (/PL0, /PL1, PL0,PL1, /PL2, /PL3, PL2, and PL3). As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, a part ofthe wiring layer M3 can be used as a power supply line Vss or otherpower supply wires. In this manner, power supplies can be arranged inunits of memory cell blocks to make it possible to strengthen the powersupplies.

As shown in FIG. 16, the eight plate lines can be shared by the left andright memory cell blocks. For this reason, four plate lines arenecessary for each memory cell block. In the examples in FIGS. 18 to 24,the plate lines PL1, /PL1, PL3, and /PL3 formed by the third metal wireM3 are temporarily connected to the second metal wire M2 through thecontact V3, and the second metal wire M2 is connected to the first metalwire M1 through the contact V2. In this manner, as shown in FIG. 19, anyone of the plate lines /PL1, PL1, PL3, and /PL3 can be connected to thefirst metal wire M1. The connection using the second metal wire M2 canbe realized by arranging the second metal wire M2 for connecting platelines between the bit lines as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24. On the sectionin FIG. 19, the wire of the bit line /BL1 is discontinuously shown at aposition where the plate line /PL1 is present. However, in fact, thewire of the bit line /BL1 is deviously connected to the plate line /PL1in the depth direction of the drawing.

As shown in FIGS. 18 to 24, even though the four plate lines arearranged per memory cell block, memory cells can be arranged from amemory cell block end. For this reason, it is understood that the memorycell block size does not increase. With this configuration, as describedabove, both inter-bit-line noise and other array noise can be reducedwithout increasing the memory cell block size, an occupied area of senseamplifier circuits can be reduced by about half, and a power consumptionof the memory cell array in an operation can be reduced by about half.

First Modification of Second Embodiment

In the second embodiment, according to the ferroelectric random accessmemory of the first modification of the first embodiment shown in FIG.13, a bit line voltage equalizing circuit 16 used to shield bit linesand control signal lines first to fourth equalization control linesEq10, Eq11, Eq12, Eq13, and VBL thereof may be arranged on the other-endside of a memory cell array 10, i.e., on a side opposing the senseamplifier circuit 14 side. With this modification, the same effect asthat of the ferroelectric random access memory in FIG. 13 can beobtained, complex wires between the memory cell array and the senseamplifier circuit are unnecessary advantageously.

Second Modification of Second Embodiment

In the second embodiment, according to the ferroelectric random accessmemory of the third modification of the first embodiment described withreference to FIG. 15, four bit lines constituting bit line pairs may beadjacent to each other, i.e., the eight bit lines /BL0, BL0, /BL1, BL1,/BL2, BL2, /BL3, and BL3 may be sequentially arranged in the ordernamed. In this modification, the same effect as that in the circuit inFIG. 16 can be obtained. With respect to array noise caused by aparasitic capacity between bit lines, inter-bit-line-pair noise isreduced by shielding. Note that the noise remains because the two bitlines are adjacent to each other in the bit line pair. However, incomparison with a case in which a measure for reducing theinter-bit-line-pair noise is not performed, the noise is reduced byhalf.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects isnot limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shownand described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventiveconcept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

1. A ferroelectric random access memory comprising; a memory cell arrayin which a plurality of memory cell blocks each obtained byseries-connecting a plurality of memory cells each constituted by a celltransistor having source and drain terminals and a ferroelectriccapacitor connected in parallel between the source and drain terminalsof the cell transistor are arranged in the form of a matrix, a blockgroup being constituted by first to fourth memory cell blockssequentially adjacently arranged in a row direction; a plurality of wordlines arranged to extend in the row direction of the memory cell array;a plurality of bit lines arranged to extend in a column direction of thememory cell array and including first to fourth bit lines, the first bitline and the third bit line constituting a first bit line pair, and thesecond bit line and the fourth bit line constituting a second bit linepair; a plurality of plate lines arranged to extend in the row directionof the memory cell array and including first to fourth plate lines towhich one ends of the first to fourth memory cell blocks are connected,respectively; a plurality of sense amplifier circuits arranged on aone-end side of the memory cell array in the column direction everyblock group constituted by the first to fourth memory cell blocks; firstto fourth block selection transistors connected between the other endsof the first to fourth memory cell blocks and the first to fourth bitlines, respectively; a first block selection signal line arranged toextend in the row direction of the memory cell array and commonlyconnected to gate electrodes of the first and second block selectiontransistors; and a second block selection signal line arranged to extendin the row direction of the memory cell array and commonly connected togate electrodes of the third and fourth block selection transistors. 2.A ferroelectric random access memory according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a first switch circuit inserted between the first and secondbit line pairs and said plurality of sense amplifier circuits, the firstswitch circuit selecting one bit line pair of the first and second bitline pairs to connect the selected bit line pair to the sense amplifiercircuits.
 3. A ferroelectric random access memory according to claim 2,wherein the first switch circuit has first to fourth transistorsconnected to the first to fourth bit lines and the sense amplifiercircuits.
 4. A ferroelectric random access memory according to claim 1,further comprising: a second switch circuit connected to the first bitline pair and the second bit line pair, the second switch circuitselecting one bit line pair of the first and second bit line pairs toconnect the selected bit line pair to a constant voltage.
 5. Aferroelectric random access memory according to claim 4, wherein thesecond switch circuit has fifth to eighth transistors connected betweenthe first to fourth bit lines and a bit line voltage supply line towhich a constant voltage is supplied.
 6. A ferroelectric random accessmemory according to claim 1, further comprising: a first drive circuitwhich is connected to the first to fourth plate lines and selects atleast one of the first to fourth plate lines to drive the selected plateline to a High level and to set the unselected remaining plate lines ata constant voltage.
 7. A ferroelectric random access memory according toclaim 6, wherein the first drive circuit selects the first and thirdplate lines or the second and fourth plate lines from the first tofourth plate lines to drive the selected plate lines to a High level andto set the unselected remaining plate lines at a constant voltage.
 8. Aferroelectric random access memory according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a second drive circuit which is connected to the first andsecond block selection signal lines and selects at least one of thefirst and second block selection signal lines to drive the selectedblock selection signal line to a High level.
 9. A ferroelectric randomaccess memory according to claim 8, wherein the second drive circuitdrives both the first and second block selection signal lines to a Highlevel.
 10. A ferroelectric random access memory according to claim 1,wherein the first to fourth plate lines are provided on the first tofourth memory cell blocks.